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Kickstart Safety and Health Management in Small Businesses with IndustrySpecific Guides | 2024.08.23 | ||
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Author : KOSHA | |||
>> Practical and User-Friendly Content for 23 Industries, Developed in Collaboration with 31 Associations ■ “We had requested key materials to prepare for the Serious Accidents Punishment Act from our member companies. The timing was perfect, as we were able to collaborate with the MOEL to create these industry-specific guides. Our members appreciate the practical reflection of on-site situations.” (Secretary-General of XYZ Association) ■ “While it is challenging to cover all risk factors and preventive measures applicable to every production process, the guides focus on frequent accidents and provide easy-to-understand explanations, which have been very helpful.” (CEO of ABC Company) ■ “The guides intuitively explain what needs to be done to establish a previously unfamiliar and abstract safety and health management system. Now that we understand what needs to be done, we will proceed with implementation.” (CEO of DEF Company) The Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL, Minister Lee Jung-sik) has received positive feedback from small businesses and industry associations regarding the newly produced and distributed “Industry-Specific Customized Safety and Health Guides.” In response to concerns and confusion arising from the upcoming expansion of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act to businesses with fewer than 50 employees in January 2024, the MOEL developed a total of 23 tailored safety and health guides. These guides, distributed from April 22 to May 20, aim to help small businesses establish effective safety and health management systems. The guides were created through extensive discussions with representatives from 31 industry associations and six university professors beginning in March. They feature numerous accident case studies illustrated with diagrams, highlighting common hazards and preventive measures for each industry. Additionally, the guides include checklists detailing essential safety and health obligations. The guides are available on the MOEL and Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA, President Ahn Jong-ju) websites. Additionally, 300,000 copies have been distributed to industry associations for dissemination to small businesses. The MOEL plans to conduct a series of briefings to assist small businesses in establishing and implementing these safety and health management systems. The first briefing took place on May 10, targeting 20 members of the Korea Surface Treatment Industry Cooperative. Future sessions will include regional briefings aimed at members of the Korea Accommodation Association and other relevant organizations, continuing through the end of the year. Choi Tae-ho, Head of the MOEL’s Industrial Accident Prevention and Inspection Policy Bureau, urged businesses to utilize these guides: “We have designed these 23 guides based on feedback from diverse industry sites to ensure they are easily understandable for small businesses. We hope businesses will take proactive steps, implementing the practices outlined in the guides one step at a time. |